Sanitary nest.



I J. F. BROOKS.

SANITARY NEST.

APPLICATION FILED mac. 1a. 1916.

LfibfiWfi. Patented Feb. 26,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR WITNESSES J 7,,3/00/36.

W ATTORNEY .I. F. BROOKS.

SANITARY NEST.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13. I916.

Patented Feb. 26,1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORN EY SANITARY NEST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. en, mi...

Application filed December 13, 1918. Serial No. 136,726.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN F. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lBlufl' Dale, in the county of Hood and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Nests, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to animal husbandry, and more especially to nests; and the object of the same is to produce a structure of this character which is sanitary as far as possible in that it has not a particle of wood in its make-up wherein lice and other vermln may breed; and, being entirely of metal, it is fire-proof, not subject to mold or 1n ury by climatic changes, may be thoroughly washed by turning the hose on it, and effectively protects the llBIlSfilIld e gs from the incursions of marauding anima s--being in fact a complete coop when its doors are closed.

Aside from the structural features of the nest, and my preference for galvanized metal throughout, one particular object of the invention is to provide rests for the doors when they are open so that they then become approaches to the several nests.

Another object is to provide removable bottoms to the several nests, for purposes which will appear.

These and other objects are carried out by constructing the nest in the manner hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structure of this character including two dozen nests, all of the doors on one side being opened excepting one.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section, and

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of one form of nest-bottom.

As above suggested, I make this nest structure entirely of metal, using galvanized iron, pipes or rods where possible, sheet metal for the end panels and the top panel, metal strips and straps for the frame-work, and rustproof gauze or netting of metal for the partitions. It is quite obvious, however, that I am not limited to the precise details of construction or to the proportions of parts. propose to make this nest in sizes, but have shown and will herein describe a structure embodying two dozen nests, each approximately about a cubic foot in size so as to accommodate the largest fowl. I have shown the structure herein as of three stories, but if it is to be employed for ducks and like fowls that may not be desirable. While I have called my invention a sanitary nest, it is in effect a tenement whose compartments constitute the nests proper, and as a whole it is a structure large enough so that it cannot be blown over by the wind or knocked over by the fowls or animals, and yet it is preferably not so large but that it may be transported from point to point by one man or at most two men. lit may be used indoors or outdoors, and if the latter I would cover it with some kind of an awning or protection against the elements.

Coming now to the details as shown in the drawings, the base is preferably made up of two longitudinal pipes 1, connected at their extremities at 2 in any suitable manner with two transverse pipes 3, each having its ends turned downward into legs 4 which may be of any suitable length and will therefore support the entire structure at any desired height above the ground level; and

if these legs are inserted in water, ants may not climb into the nest structure. In Fig. 3 I have shown a third transverse pipe 3 with its legs, and this may be used if the structure is of large size. At each side the transverse pipes extend beyond the point 2 of connection with the longitudinal pipes as seen at 5, and the extensions are connected by pipes or rods 6 which form rests for the lowermost doors as seen in Fig. 1. Above the base thus described is erected the superstructure as shown.

Overlying the base are two longitudinal sills 10, preferably of angle iron as best seen in Fig. 4, and possibly connected with the base by the same bolts 2 which connect the longitudinal and transverse pipes. 'llhese sills are shown herewith as of the same length as the longitudinal pipes, but it is obvious that they may be longer if the superstructure is lon er than the base. I preferably use L-iron or the sills, so that their lower leaves may be bolted to the base and their upright leaves may carry the elements yet to be described. At each end of the structure is an upright end panel 11 of galvanized sheet metal, and its side edges may be turned inward into flanges 12 if desired, these being about three inches wide and as long as the panel, which latter is as high as the structure desired. Along each front of the superstructure stands a series of upright strips 13, equally spaced and preferably corresponding in dimensions with the flanges 12; and in fact the latter might be separate from the end panels and connected therewith if desired, though in any event they are the equivalent of the strips. All the latter are connected as by bolts or rivets 14 with the sills 10, and at each floor line of the superstructure the various strips are connected with each other in pairs by two transverse pipes or rods 15 which are spaced slightly from each other as best seen in Fig. 2. Along each front or face of the superstructure and just inside the upright strips, are cross strips 16 at each floor line, preferably riveted or bolted at their ends at 17 inside the endmost strips or flanges 12; and through these cross strips pass the pipes or rods 15. Finally there is removably applied a cover or top 18 which preferably has a surrounding depending flange 19 to fit over the upper ends of the panels and strips. Such is the construction of the framework constituting the superstructure, and so far as thus described it will be seen that it is open at front and back and at bottom and top excepting for the removable cover or top 18.

The partitions are preferably of rustproof wire gauze or netting. The transverse partitions 20 stand upright between the pairs of rods 15 as perhaps best seen in Fig. 2, and they may be continued from front to rear or they may be interrupted as there shown. A central longitudinal upright partition 21 extends from one end panel to the other, and if the transverse partitions are interrupted the longitudinal partition may be continuous but the rods 15 will have to pass through it. On the other hand, if the transverse partitions are continuous, the longitudinal partition will have to be interrupted. This detail is a matter of choice, which may well be left to the manufacturer. The extremities of the longitudinal partition may be secured in any desired manner to the end panels 11, but in Fig. 2 I have shown them as mounted between two L-shaped strips 22 carried by the inner face of each panel 11. The horizontal partitions which constitute the floor line (and eventually constitute the nests proper) are separate rectangular pieces of netting indicated at 23, stiff enough to support the weight of the hen when the netting rests at its edges on the pipes or rods 15. In dotted lines m Fig. 4 I have shown one of these pieces as being removed through the door opening at the front when the door is open. In Fig. 5 I'have shown at 24 how one of these panels of netting may be dished or depressed at its center so that it shall constitute the nest proper, but ordinarily the user will doubtless'put some hay orstraw into the nest so that the fowl shallbe induced to lay therein. By reaching into one door opening and pushin upward, the fiat or horizontal panel next a ove such opening may be lifted, so thatit can be removed out the door opening above by turning it a little oblique, as will be clear. This should be done from time to time when the hay or straw or other nest material is replenished, and while the sheets 23 are out of the structure it might be wise to boil or otherwise treat them for sanitary reason. At that time also it might be well to turn the hose on to the entire structure and wash it thoroughly. It is not injured by water or dampness, and after it dries the nest plates or sheets 23 can be replaced and the structure set up in the barnyard or fowl house and its doors opened, ready for further service.

Each door comprises a frame 30, also preferably of metal, filled in with a screen panel 33 so as to admit light and air to the hen while she is laying or while she is setting with the door closed. Across the outer face of the lower bar of each frame is secured a metallic strap 3% having its ends reduced to form trunnions 35, and the two trunnions are journaled in bearings 36 secured to the front face of the upright strips 13 on either side of the door opening. By this means the door is hinged along its lower edge between two contiguous upright strips, and when raised to closed position it may be held by a suitable device such as a button 37 on the cross strip above its door opening. Both end panels carry supports extending across them and beyond the front and rear flanges, and these supports are shown in Fig. 1 as flat straps 38 riveted or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the panels 11. Their extending ends are connected in pairs at front and rear of the structure by pipes or rods 39 constituting rests and disposed just beneath the hinge line of the doors, like that numbered 6. It follows that when the doors are thrown open as best seen in Fig. 1, each inclines downward a little as its body is supported by its rest, and therefore each door forms an approach to the opening into its compartment or nest proper. Domestic fowls and especially hens soon learn to select a certain nest, even where the structure con tains many; but fowls such as ducks will doubtless use those in the lowermost rows. From time to time the attendant visits the structure and removes the eggs, and at dusk all doors are preferably closed to keep out animals. Any individual nest may be used for a setting hen by closing and fastening its door, but in practice it would doubtless be wise to employ one of these structures of the setting hens and another o others for the laying hens, as the former could not conveniently be washed until the hens came off with their chicks, whereas the latter ought memes to be washed at frequent intervals. While the cover or top 18 is shown in place in Fig. 1, it may be left off in the daytime or in case the structure is used inside a buildt ing. Its side flanges may be employed to hold the uppermost doors closed, or there could be a cross strip 16 connecting the upper ends of the upright strips 13 and having buttons for this purpose, like those numtu bored 37, but in that case the flange of the 20 event they might, of course, be made of sheet metal rather than screening. With respect to these particulars, I prefer to leave the matter to the judgment of the manufacturer,

controlled to an extent by the demand of the customers.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a nest structure of the class described, the combination with a base, skeleton front and rear, solid ends, and a solid top; of transverse and longitudinal partitions subdividing the interior, horizontal partitions forming nest bottoms in the subdivisions, doors hin ed at their lower edges for closing the ront of each nest, strips riveted across the ends and projecting at their extremities beyond the front and rear, and horizontal rods connecting the projecting extremities in pairs just beneath the hinge lines of the doors.

2. In a nest structure of the class described, the combination with a base, spaced upright strips constituting the front and rear, solid panels connecting the endmost strips and constituting the ends, longitudinal strips connecting the ends just inside said other strips, transverse rods arranged in pairs and connecting the front and rear strips and passing through said longitudinal strips, and a removable top; of a main central partition of screening through which said rods pass, transverse panels of screening, each divided into parts removably inserted between said transverse rods on opposite sides of said partition, and individual horizontal panels of screening each constituting the bottom of a compartment and resting removably .on the transverse rods at opposite sides thereof.

In testimonywhereof I affix my signature.

JOHN F. BROOKS. 

